The compact car segment in Europe is up 5% in the first three quarters of 2015, which is slower than the overall market, but the segment is likely to get a boost in 2016 from a few important model launches, most notably from the Opel/Vauxhall Astra and the Renault Megane. None of these is very likely to topple the Volkswagen Golf from its first place in the segment and in fact the entire car market, as the Golf holds a firm 23% share of the segment. The top-3 is still completed by the Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia, as the latter has fallen short in its attempt to pass the Focus.
For fourth place, the Peugeot 308 is already in danger of recapitulating the position it took in the beginning of the year from the Astra, as GM is boosting the outgoing model with huge incentives. The new generation Astra has arrived in showrooms in Q4 and we’ll have to wait and see if it gains traction quickly enough to take back its fourth position by the time the year comes to an end.
The rise of the Seat Leon thanks to the new generation and the addition of a station wagon has stalled at sixth place, nonetheless a best-ever for the Spanish nameplate, and clearly outselling the Megane now. With the new Megane ready for a 2016 launch, the Leon looks destined to drop back again. But for now, the Renault will have to watch its back in Q4, as the Toyota Auris is creeping closer, outselling it by 6.700 units in Q3 and only 3.000 units behind so far.
The Hyundai i30 has taken back its position above its corporate sibling Kia Cee’d at the bottom end of the top-10, but further down the ranking not many surprises, and expectedly the Nissan Pulsar will fall short of its target of 64.000 annual sales, but outselling the struggling Honda Civic is still a welcome notch on its belt. I’m just not sure the Pulsar will be able to hold on to that position, as the Civic was the better selling model of the two.
2015 January – September compact car sales Europe
| Compact segment | Jan-Sep 2015 | Jan-Sep 2014 | Change | |
| 1. | Volkswagen Golf | 409.425 | 397.738 | 3% |
| 2. | Ford Focus | 183.046 | 174.267 | 5% |
| 3. | Skoda Octavia | 163.921 | 153.305 | 7% |
| 4. | Peugeot 308 | 150.186 | 115.300 | 30% |
| 5. | Opel/Vauxhall Astra | 148.085 | 140.623 | 5% |
| 6. | Seat Leon | 108.459 | 101.624 | 7% |
| 7. | Renault Megane | 96.679 | 100.362 | -4% |
| 8. | Toyota Auris | 93.588 | 98.134 | -5% |
| 9. | Hyundai i30 | 62.071 | 64.487 | -4% |
| 10. | Kia Cee’d | 57.506 | 58.603 | -2% |
| 11. | Skoda Rapid | 53.656 | 59.727 | -10% |
| 12. | Mazda3 | 41.103 | 38.482 | 7% |
| 13. | Citroën C4 | 37.692 | 50.126 | -25% |
| 14. | Nissan Pulsar | 34.540 | 1.550 | 2128% |
| 15. | Honda Civic | 33.798 | 32.995 | 2% |
| 16. | Volkswagen Beetle | 21.582 | 24.507 | -12% |
| 17. | Nissan Leaf | 12.662 | 11.399 | 11% |
| 18. | Kia Soul | 11.105 | 7.242 | 53% |
| 19. | Toyota Corolla | 10.316 | 10.411 | -1% |
| 20. | Volkswagen Scirocco | 9.334 | 7.137 | 31% |
| 21. | Volkswagen Jetta | 8.388 | 7.592 | 10% |
| 22. | Seat Toledo | 8.108 | 8.296 | -2% |
| 23. | Toyota Prius | 5.708 | 6.236 | -8% |
| 24. | Citroën C-Elysee | 4.814 | 4.904 | -2% |
| 25. | Renault Fluence | 3.934 | 4.354 | -10% |
| 26. | Mitsubishi Lancer | 3.069 | 2.775 | 11% |
| 27. | Peugeot 301 | 1.920 | 2.345 | -18% |
| 28. | Hyundai Elantra | 1.224 | 947 | 29% |
| 29. | Subaru Impreza | 706 | 1.977 | -64% |
| 30. | Fiat Bravo | 309 | 3.085 | -90% |
| 31. | Chevrolet Cruze | 128 | 7.217 | -98% |
| 32. | Honda CR-Z | 31 | 266 | -88% |
| 33. | Honda Insight | 27 | 467 | -94% |
| 34. | Fiat Linea | 7 | 184 | -96% |
| Segment total | 1.777.127 | 1.698.664 | 5% |
Also check out the 2015-H1 compact car segment in the United States.
Also check out the premium compact & small car segments, where the Audi A3 and Mini hold on to their respective top spots.
Click on any model to see its annual sales from 1997-2014 and monthly sales in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, or use the dropdown menu in the top right of this site. Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.